I now benefit and agree with the lesson learned as a kid; that I do not need something just because playground rules say a specific brand is required to belong. I even agreed as a kid, as my parents spend time explaining it to me. With parents working in advertising they had all the right tools to convince me that brands where just that, brands.

Am I better off for having learned this lesson at an early age? Maybe, but it took a huge chunk of happiness out of my childhood.

How far should we let our kids stay happily ignorant of the powers of the world?

2 Comments:

I think parents should not bow to brand envy. For one thing, it also shows that people with money are "Supposed" to be more popular than people without. Parents should teach their children that iPods don't make the man.